The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

The Glass Castle 
by Jeanette Walls

Let’s look into the future: do you see yourself in a limo, dressed for the evening in a gorgeous gown? As you step from the taxi, really, do you see your mother rooting through a dumpster?

So begins Jeanette Walls’ memoir of her childhood, a tale of a childhood spent wondering if you were going to eat at all that night.

Memories emerge from a girl-hood with an alcoholic, but adored, father, whose desire is to build a glass house (castle) for his family and his favorite daughter. Without money for Christmas presents, he takes each of his children into the Arizona desert and “allows” them to “choose” a star.

However, home is not easy or sweet. Jeanette remembers her mother, an artist who can’t seem to deal with the day-to-day activities, or even help her children. Jeanette feeds herself at school by going through the garbage cans after lunch, or outright stealing food from other childrens’ lunch-bags.

This tale of sinking into the depths, of escaping, and of an incredibly dysfunctional family is not for everyone. Dad has a horrible, swearing style that may not be appropriate for some students. This is a memoir, and while honest, at times funny, at times sad, it is at times shocking.

(Booktalk by Mary Jo Heller, Shoreline School District)

The Glass Castle
 by Jeanette Walls



Don't take that thermosat for granted! Running water is very nice too, and electricity--Jeanette Walls is a sophisticated gossip columnist who gets invited to Hollywood premieres, and she's hidden the truth about where she came from for years.

Jeannette was raised in California, Nevada, Phoenix and Welch, West Virginia and her parents were not interested in holding regular jobs or having normal conveniences. Day-to-day living for her and her family was an adventure: eating out of dumpsters; sleeping on cardboard boxes; homemade orthodontia. and "doing the skedaddle" whenever the bills came due.

Her father, who ran their whole crazy, homeless lifestyle had big dreams and big plans: including building a fantastic "glass castle" for his family. But he also drank and swore and stole!

So each of the kids must make their escape to New York in turn: this is their bizarre, but true story!

Read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

(Booktalk by Matt Laxton, Sno-Isle Regional Library System)


Last Updated: January 15, 2008